A fisherman stranded at sea for more than a day when his trawler sank was rescued after his friend swam 12 hours to raise the alarm.

John Jarrett desperately clung to a fish tray with skipper Charlie Picton to stay afloat as deckhand Michael Williams bravely ploughed on through shark-infested waters to reach the shore.

John was winched from the ocean by a rescue helicopter after the crew spotted him clinging on for life, exhausted and freezing five miles out to sea.

Speaking from his hospital bed, the 41-year-old dad-of-three said: "I was never going to give up. I've got determination like no other person... and all my kids know it.

"I wasn't gonna die out there, no way. I wanted to see my wife and kids again."

Tragically, 40-year-old cancer sufferer Charlie could not hold on and vanished beneath the waves. He is presumed dead. The drama began when the trio's prawn trawler Sea Rogue got its nets caught on a reef off the coast of New South Wales on Wednesday.

It sank within two minutes, taking with it the liferaft and emergency floats. The three men clung to the one thing left on the surface - a prawn sorting tray.

Michael, 39, decide the only way they would get help was if he swam to shore.

With the aid of a float he made it ashore. He was found face down covered in sand and blood on a beach near Byron Bay by resident Chris Gort. Chris said: "He was exhausted but he was smiling and just glad to be alive.

"He grabbed my attention as he had lacerations up and down his legs and scratches all over his body. He was sunburnt with a red face. He certainly looked as though he had been in a shipwreck.

"I spoke to the fisherman, he said he had been in the water since three in the morning.

"His boat had overturned and he had had not seen his mates since 3.15am."

Michael was taken to Mullumbimby hospital suffering from exhaustion and dehydration.

But he astounded doctors by making a full recovery.

A spokesman said: "He's fine. He is as strong as an ox and is expected to leave hospital within a day."

John suffered extreme hypothermia, dehydration and exhaustion.

Rescuers continued to hunt for skipper Charlie, but the search was later called off.